What are the Dangers of Water and Sewage Contamination

Sewage spillages not only look and smell unpleasant but pose a risk to health. Following a sewage spillage the first call should be to Sewage Cleaning Australia where we can provide immediate assistance. Our emergency sewage cleaning technicians can respond at short notice and make a detailed assessment of the damaged area with a comprehensive and detailed cleaning regimen readily available to restore your property to a safe, biohazard free and habitable area once more.

The Various Types of Sewage Damage

Sewage damage is much like flood damage in terms of the effect it will have on property. Unlike clean flood water sewage contains the addition risk to human health, not to mention the fact that many people (including daily office cleaning companies), do not wish to deal with a spill or do not have the correct personal protective equipment or disinfectants to clean up correctly.

Untreated sewage is any liquid that contains biological material and has not yet gone through the sewage treatment plant. Raw sewage would be typically that found where toilets back up and overspill or stack pipes rupture in larger buildings. Untreated sewage has a far greater potential to cause illness and the longer the sewage has been sitting and stagnating the greater the amount of bacteria it will contain.

How is Sewage Damage Contamination Classified

The severity and methods utilised in each Sewage Contamination Clean up is determined on a case-by-case basis, affected by the severity and category of the spill. Sewage spills are categorised by 3 categories each with there own set of pre-determined and successful clean up methodologies.

Category 1 is Clean Water. Although not considered sewage, clean water can become hazardous if left in contact with hygroscopic surfaces.

Category 2 is Grey Water. Grey water is generally considered unsanitary and can cause illness to humans and can be caused by washing machine, toilet, waterbed or dishwasher leaks. Like all sewage spills, grey water damage is intensified by the time taken to remedy the spill and temperature of the building and location the spill has occurred in. Category 2 sewage spills should be remediated as a priority to ensure contamination and pollutants are kept to a minimum.

Category 3 is Black Water. Black water always contains pathogens making it a serious health and biohazard contamination. Black water can consist of, but is not limited to, sewage that contains urine and faeces, chemical waste, medical waste or seawater, river, water or ground surface water containing silt and organic matter. Sewage Contamination Clean up of a Category 3 nature must be remediated as a priority.

What are the Risks of Sewage Contamination to your Health?

There are wide ranges of bacterial infections that can result from contact/ingestion of mainly grey or black water classifications. Some include E. Coli, Botulism, Dysentery, Leptospirosis, Salmonellosis. All the above are present when the water has some contamination of sewage, is stale or contains other nutritional substances that promote the growth of bacteria. These bacteria will induce a range of sickness including diarrhoea, flu like symptoms, double vision, fever and respiratory failure.

Viral Infections that can occur include Hepatitis A, Polyomavirus Infection and SARS. These bacteria can enter the body via ingestion or cuts in the skin. All viral infections are NOT treatable by antibiotics and there is no known cure for the Hepatitis family of viruses. Again, unsanitary water may contain these viruses and as with all infections will make the infected individual suffer from a range of symptoms which include fatigue, fever, myalgia and headaches.

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Sewage Cleaning is a comprehensive sewage and water damage remediation and restoration company, proudly servicing all metro and regional areas across Australia. Contact us for an obligation-free quote and let us fix your sewage and water damage, no matter how big or small the problem.

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Why Choose Sewage Cleaning Australia?

Sewage Cleaning is a comprehensive sewage and water damage remediation and restoration company, proudly servicing all metro and regional areas across Australia. Specialising in all water, sewage and flood damage remediation, we strive to provide a premium remediation service at the lowest cost. Contact us for an obligation-free quote and let us fix your sewage and water damage, no matter how big or small the problem.